by Csongor Juhos -
One -
I just decided to go to Cannes, the heart of the French Riviera. Glamour and Wagyu beef. Gertrude comes to mind, "More matter, with less art” (Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2.). And then a voice in my head, what are are you afraid of? Relax, enjoy the sunshine, the architecture, the Mediterranean sea. Passivation is what you do need, calm down your inner child. Wait to see.
Two -
The Red Carpet at the Palais des Festivals. Why not? Play! How does it feel to be a movie star? How does it feel to take a picture on the red carpet? Take a photo. Play! But don’t loose your grip of reality. You are not a movie star and the opening session of the Conference is about to begin. Better hurry up and find your seat.
Three -
Heribert Blass’s opening speech smoothly links up with Michael Günter’s opening presentation, The paradox of illusion in child development. Destruction of the existing and catastrophic change, wish fulfillment or clinging to the ruins of the past. During the presentation it is difficult to contain the horror felt by the shadow of abuse of young children. Such a raw encounter with disillusionment that interrupts the child creative capability in the encounter with the world. Ferenczi’s Confusion of Tongues comes to mind, as Jonathan Sklar remarked in the discussion. Sexual abuse of children was a reality in 1933 as it is in our days. The challenge we face is to deal with the defenses against complete disintegration of the psyche. It is here where we forget about Cannes and the red carpet at the entrance of Palais des Festivals. It is here where we answer Gertrude - Matter, my Lady. It is here, where we sink into the filigree of the analytic encounter.
The conference has began and we are part of this psychoanalytic adventure. How about that?
From Cannes, 2023, 36th Annual Conference of the European Psychoanalytical Federation